Two Sheffield men jailed after violent claw hammer robbery

Luke Babell and Markel Brooks were sentenced on Wednesday

Two men have been jailed after robbing a couple on an electric bike and attacking the man with a claw hammer, a court heard.

Luke Dabell, 27, and Markel Brooks, 19, tried to steal the £6,000 bike before running off with the woman's purse and house keys.

The robbery took place on Midhurst Road in the Foxhill area of Sheffield, Sheffield Crown Court also heard.

Dabell received five years and and Brooks received four years.

The court heard that on 29 July the pair approached the man and woman before putting the man in a headlock and hitting him over the head and in the ribs "at least 20 times".

South Yorkshire Police Investigations Officer Hannah Goodwin said: "The woman was threatened by both Dabell and Markel Brooks after screaming for help, and had her purse and house keys stolen.

'Frightening incident'

"After the victim had the bike forcibly pulled from him, Brooks got onto the bike and drove it off, followed by Dabell in a red Peugeot."

Dabell and Brooks were then identified as the two people involved in the incident and arrested.

IO Goodwin added: "This was a frightening incident for the two victims, who were simply going about their daily life when they were both robbed and one of them was violently attacked.

Brooks, of Brinsworth Road, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery on 9 February.

Dabell, of St Anne's, Doncaster, was found guilty after a trial of two counts of robbery and one count of possessing an offensive weapon.

Both were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday.